Harry's Strange Headache
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: Harry has a headache worse than the Cruciatus curse, and nobody knows why. The headmaster wants to send him back to the Dursleys, but maybe someone can prevent him from the nightmare. Just a meaningless drabble. AU, partly OOC, sick!Harry
1. Chapter 1

**Harry's Strange Headache**

Harry woke up in the morning, noticing that he couldn't move his head because of a splitting headache that was worse than any pain he had ever experienced. A short try to open his eyes led to unbearable pain, and Harry groaned in agony.

"What's wrong mate?" Ron's voice suddenly penetrated his ears.

"Headache," Harry breathed. "Can you shut the curtains please?" he pleaded, moving his lips the least possible, hoping that his friend would understand.

"Wait; I'll get Hermione," Ron promised and quickly dashed away. To Harry's great relief, he remembered to shut the curtains to keep the sunlight out that seemed to aggravate his headache even more.

Shortly later, he noticed that someone sat down on the edge of his bed. "Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione's concerned voice penetrated his ears, and he felt an icy hand on his hurting forehead.

"My head," he whispered. "It hurts, and I can't move it; hurts so much."

"You seem to have a fever as well, Harry. Shall we get Madam Pomfrey for you?"

"No, just leave me here," Harry groaned.

"All right," Hermione agreed. "But we will tell Professor McGonagall that you're sick, and if you don't feel better at lunchtime, we'll call Madam Pomfrey."

"Okay," Harry mouthed, feeling too bad to fight with anybody.

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Harry spent the next few hours half asleep, until he couldn't hold the urge to go to the toilet back anymore. He slowly got up but felt so dizzy that he couldn't make it out of his dormitory in an upright position and finally had to crawl into the bathroom. When he was finally back in his bed, he fell in an exhausted slumber, from which he only woke up when someone sat down on the edge of his bed at lunchtime.

"Mr. Potter, what's wrong with you?" the stern voice of his head of house suddenly penetrated his ear.

"I don't know," Harry replied, gritting his teeth to get the pain in grip. "I have a splitting headache, so bad that I can hardly move my head, and I feel too dizzy to get up."

The teacher placed a cold hand on his forehead. "You seem to have a fever as well. I will take your temperature, and then we'll see what we can do. The problem is that Madam Pomfrey is at St. Mungo's for the day. Does anything else hurt? Your throat, your ears, or anything?"

"No," Harry whispered miserably.

The professor conjured a cool cloth, which she gently adjusted to Harry's forehead, noticing in slight relief that he mouthed, "thanks; feels good."

"Hold on, Harry, I'll be back in a minute," Minerva told him in a soft voice and quickly left the room. Down in the common room, she turned to Harry's friends, who were waiting for her to allow them to keep Harry company. "You cannot see him at the moment. Go to the Great Hall, eat lunch, and please ask Professor Snape to come up here and help me assess what's wrong with Mr. Potter."

"Snape?" Ron asked terrified.

"It's 'Professor Snape,' Mr. Weasley, and yes please; Madam Pomfrey is not available at the moment," Minerva replied briskly and hurried to the bathroom to fetch a thermometer. Back in the dormitory, she stuck the thermometer under Harry's armpit, seeing that it even seem to hurt him to open his mouth.

"Did something happen, or did you just wake up like this?" Minerva asked softly.

"I just woke up like this," Harry mumbled miserably.

"Unfortunately, Madam Pomfrey is not here at the moment; therefore, I have asked your friends to call Professor Snape. He has a lot more expertise in healing than me," the teacher explained in a soft voice, ignoring his groan at the mention of the professor's name, while she took the thermometer back. "39.1," she read, sighing.

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A few minutes later, Severus entered the dormitory. Minerva quickly filled him in, talking in a very small voice, causing him to wave his wand over Harry a few times.

Harry nearly jumped in fright when he suddenly felt the professor's cold hands feel around his neck and on his forehead. "Potter, open your mouth for a moment," he was told and complied, trying to ignore the pain that every small movement of his head caused. The professor lit his wand and examined the back of Harry's mouth as well as his ears and even looked in his eyes, before he stood back and threw Minerva a thoughtful glance.

"There are two possibilities," he finally stated. "Potter either has caught some kind of illness, which I am not aware of, or he has been hit by a dark curse. I can give him a headache potion and a fever reducer, but if they don't work, we'll have to call Poppy back from St. Mungo's. This headache likely causes as much pain as the Cruciatus curse."

Minerva gasped and threw Harry a worried glance, while Severus pulled two phials out of his robe pockets. "If you help him sit up a bit, I will make him swallow these," he said in a voice that to Harry's astonishment absolutely held no malice.

A few minutes later, Harry lay back, noticing that the headache potion only helped a bit. Minerva once more adjusted the cool cloth to his forehead, while Severus conjured a light bottle with water and a straw, which he pressed into Harry's hand. "Here, Potter, you'll be able to drink this in your position. It's important that you get lots of fluid."

"Thanks Professor," Harry mouthed, wondering why the professor was so kind all of a sudden.

"Mr. Potter, we will ask your friends to stay with you during the afternoon. We both have to teach classes, but we'll be back right afterwards," Minerva told the boy in a soothing voice.

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Hermione and Ron quietly sat on the edge of Harry's bed until the professors came back as they had promised. Seeing Minerva enter the room, the students immediately vacated the spot and retired to Ron's bed, hoping that they wouldn't be thrown out if they were out of the way.

"Do you feel any better, Mr. Potter?" Minerva enquired softly, proceeding to take his temperature.

"No," Harry mouthed, his face scrunched in pain.

Minerva had just taken the thermometer back, noticing that his fever was slightly higher than before, when Severus strode into the room. "How is he?" he enquired busily, pulling his wand and an empty phial out of his robe pocket.

"Slightly worse," Minerva explained, giving her colleague a questioning look.

"When is Poppy due back?"

"Only very late tonight I think. Shall I call her?"

"Yes, call her please, and I will take some blood to check for poison," Severus replied and took Minerva's place on the edge of Harry's bed, while the older woman hurriedly left the dormitory. "Mr. Potter, I'm going to take a few drops of blood. I'll do it magically, and it won't hurt, but I need you to make a fist," Severus told Harry in a soft, silky voice that made the child obey automatically. As soon as Harry complied, three drops of blood dropped down from his fist into the small phial.

Severus stood up and turned to the students. "Tell Professor McGonagall that I'll be back in about an hour." Then he left the dormitory, his robes billowing behind him.

Hermione and Ron had just returned to Harry's side, when Minerva came back, Poppy in tow, who shooed them away instantly. Poppy waved her wand over Harry several times, before she pocketed her wand and gave Minerva a pensive look.

"Apart from a splitting headache and a very high fever I can't find anything wrong," she said apologizing. "I have no idea what causes his problems." After a minute of silence, she continued, "Normally, I would take him with me, but since I won't be back until around midnight, I believe that he'll be better off here for the moment."

"I will look after him," Minerva promised. "Severus is just checking his blood for poison, and he assumed if you didn't find an illness, that it might be a dark curse."

"If he doesn't find any sign of poison, you'll have to ask Albus to come and check on him. Maybe he'll be able to find something out," Poppy replied thoughtfully. "If there is anything I can do, call me at any time," she told Minerva and left the dormitory, muttering to herself.

"Did Professor Snape say something when he would be back?" Minerva turned to the students, who had followed the conversation from Ron's bed.

"He said he'd be away for an hour," Hermione replied, her voice laced with concern.

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When Severus returned, the headmaster was accompanying him. "It's definitely not poison," the headmaster began. "Therefore, we believe that either someone cursed Harry or that Voldemort sent a curse directly through the connection over Harry's scar. Unfortunately, there is only one way to check that out, if it's possible to find out anything at all. Legilimency," he stated. "We need Severus to have a look in Harry's mind to see if he can find anything that matches our assumption."

"But Professor!" Hermione spoke up in a very upset voice.

"You can't let someone, who hates him, access his mind, and..." Ron started boldly, but was interrupted immediately by his head of house.

"Mr. Weasley, behave yourself. If you can't be quiet, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, we'll have to ask you to leave," Minerva said sternly, only to add calmingly, "We'll do all we can to help Harry."

"Mr. Potter, did you hear what Professor Dumbledore explained?" Severus asked softly, hesitantly sitting down on the edge of Harry's bed.

"Yes, sir; it's all right," Harry replied evenly.

"I will try not to hurt you; if the pain becomes unbearable, you need to tell me. All right, Mr. Potter?"

"All right," Harry replied and hesitantly opened his glassy, green eyes, trying to concentrate on the obsidian eyes of the professor that seemed strangely blurry to him. He wearily noticed how the teacher entered his mind and was surprised at how careful the man was not to aggravate his condition. After an infinite time, he finally felt the presence leave his mind. He let himself sink back in his pillow and closed his eyes.

"I found something," Severus announced. "It is the Dark Lord's doing. He seems to have attacked Potter straight through his scar. The only way to prevent this is Occlumency."

Harry groaned inwardly as memories from last school year came into his mind, but he remained quiet. "If that is so, then I need you to teach him once more," the headmaster said pensively. "However, as he is in no condition to learn Occlumency at the moment, I suggest that we let Mr. Potter return to his relatives for a few days until he is recovered from his current ailment. There, he will be safe from Voldemort, and his aunt will well be able to look after him."

"No!" Harry blurted out horrified, trying to sit up, pure panic written on his face. "Please Professor, I'll do everything what you want me to do, but please let me stay at Hogwarts. Don't send me back to my relatives."

"It's all right, Mr. Potter; don't let yourself get so upset," Minerva said soothingly, softly pushing him down again.

"Why not, my boy? The only other reasonable place for you to stay would be with Professor Snape, since he is the only one, who could help you if you were attacked again," Dumbledore turned to Harry, who sighed in relief and hesitantly averted his eyes to Severus.

"Do you prefer to stay with me than to return home?" Severus asked unbelievingly, giving the child a piercing look.

"Yes sir," Harry replied pleadingly before he mumbled, "Hogwarts is my home anyway."

"All right, Severus," Minerva said crisply, standing up from Harry's bed. "I will look after him every evening if you don't mind."

"We'll see," her younger colleague replied, before he turned to Harry. "I will take you to my quarters through the internal Floo network. This might be uncomfortable, but it's the easiest way and safest way. We don't need the Slytherins know that you're staying with me." He scooped Harry up into his arms and carried him down to the common room, pulling the boy close as he stepped into the fireplace.

_

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I am not a native speaker of English. So please excuse my mistakes!_

_All recognizable characters belong to __Mrs. Rowling__, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._


	2. Chapter 2

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**Chapter 2**

Severus stepped out of the fireplace, Harry in his arms. Harry felt himself being carried around and finally laid down on an incredibly soft and comfortable bed. "Thanks," he mumbled, only slightly moving his lips.

"Try to sleep for a moment, Potter. Later I will give you some more potions, and I will access your mind once more to help you block everything from your mind. I can't promise that I'll succeed, but I hope to be able to shut your mind off sufficiently for you to be safe during the night. We'll have to repeat the process twice a day until you'll be able to do it yourself. However, I cannot teach you Occlumency as long as your condition doesn't improve," the teacher explained in a neutral voice, even without his traditional sneer.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry mumbled, trying to ignore his headache in order to be able to sleep. However, sleep didn't come easily. Apart from the fact that he felt as if someone had dumped '_Most Potente Potions_' on his head, which was the largest book that came into his mind, he was busily recalling the conversation back in his dormitory. '_Strange that Professor Snape took me in and saved me from the Dursleys_,' he mused, remembering only seconds later, '_But he didn't have any chance not to take me in. Dumbledore said he was the only other possibility and I more or less begged him. So he didn't even willingly take me in_.' He groaned inwardly, suddenly feeling very ashamed. '_But in spite of that, he was really friendly to me_.'

Suddenly, he felt something icy being put on his forehead and lazily opened his eyes just a little bit. He saw a tall figure that was extremely blurry hovering over himself. "I believe I told you to go to sleep," the professor's silky voice penetrated his ears.

"Sorry, Professor," he mumbled back, while he slowly closed his eyes again. "I'm sorry to be such a burden," he mumbled as an afterthought, not knowing if the teacher would be able to understand his mumbling at all.

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Severus stopped short in his movement. '_What did he just say? Burden? Did the Dark Lord already manage to damage his mind?_' He gave the boy, who looked like the spitting image of his arch enemy of his own school days, a piercing look and sneered, "You're not a burden, provided that you really try to learn Occlumency this time. Now go to sleep, Potter."

At the lack of response, he retreated to his private lab in order to brew an extremely strong headache potion for the boy, something he only rarely used for himself when he found himself in unbearable pain after certain special treatments by the Dark Lord. Never would he brew said potion for the hospital wing, since it was so strong that it could only be used sporadically. '_How can the boy prefer to stay with me over returning to his doting relatives?_' he mused, unable to understand the windings of the boy's mind. '_After how I treated him during the last five years?_' he thought unbelievingly. '_I wonder what the reason is._'

An hour later, he finished labelling a dozen small phials with a light yellow potion, taking them over into his guest room, where he placed them on top of the bookshelf. Due to the irregular breathing coming from the bed, he knew immediately that Harry was still awake. '_Now the boy is ill, and I have to help him for everyone's sake_,' he told himself and sat down on the edge of Harry's bed.

"Do you have problems sleeping?" he asked in the softest voice he could muster.

"Yes, sorry," Harry whispered, sounding quite miserable.

"In that case, I suggest that I give you your potions and will then try to block your mind using Legilimency. Afterwards, I can give you a sleeping draught, if you still have problems."

"Okay," Harry replied evenly.

Severus summoned the potions, which he had already brought into the room and placed them on the bookshelf before, and sat them down on the night table for a moment. "I'm going to help you sit up a bit," he told the boy and gently pulled him up into a half-sitting position. "I need you to drink three potions. The first is a very strong headache potion. Should by chance your stomach hurt after you take this, you have to tell me immediately. Is that clear?"

"Yes," Harry replied obediently and swallowed when he felt a phial pressed against his lips.

"Very well; the next one is a nutrient potion, which you'll have to take each time you miss a meal," Severus explained and made Harry swallow the thickly liquid. Finally, he gave him the fever reducer, glad that Harry swallowed each of the potions without making a fuss. He quickly waved his wand at the boy, noticing that the potions seemed to have helped at least a bit.

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"Mr. Potter, if you're feeling a little better now, I need you to open your eyes, so that I can use the Legilimency spell. Are you ready?" Severus asked gently, adjusting the pillow in Harry's back to make him as comfortable in his position as possible.

"Yes, my headache is a lot better," Harry replied and obediently opened his eyes, noticing that the professor wasn't as blurry as he had been before. To his astonishment, the teacher wasn't wearing his normal black robes, but black trousers and a dark green shirt instead. '_Cool_,' he thought amazed, when he suddenly felt the man gently pull his chin up until he came to look straight into his obsidian eyes.

"You must tell me instantly, if it hurts too much," Severus said sternly, before he raised his wand at Harry.

Shortly later, Harry felt a presence in his mind that carefully moved around, although he wasn't able to assess what the professor was doing in his mind. Although it didn't overly hurt, he was glad when he felt the teacher retreat a few minutes later.

"I believe that should do it," Severus told Harry thoughtfully, while he gently helped him to lie down again. "Now I expect you to sleep. Should you need me, just shout; I will leave the doors open, so that I'll hear you."

"All right, Professor. Thanks a lot... for everything," Harry replied, suddenly feeling extremely tired.

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When Harry woke up in the morning, he still had a splitting headache, but he noticed that it wasn't as bad as it had been the morning before. He lazily opened his eyes, just when the professor entered the room, alerted by a spell he had placed over him that he had woken up. "Good morning, Mr. Potter," he said, while he waved his wand over him. "How do you feel?"

"A bit better," Harry replied. "Good morning, Professor."

"However, your headache is still bad and you have quite a fever," Severus stated. "I assume you don't feel up to eating breakfast?" he asked, giving Harry a piercing look.

"No," Harry whispered, returning a pleading look.

"All right then; you already know the procedure. Three potions, and then I'll try to lock up your mind once more." Like before, Severus gently helped Harry to sit up just enough to swallow his potions, before he used the Legilimency spell again.

When Harry was back into a lying position, Severus carefully placed a cool cloth onto his forehead and told him in his soft, silky voice that he had been using all morning due to the fact that Harry had been very polite and obedient so far, "Mr. Potter, I have to teach classes; however I'll leave the doors ajar, and you only have to shout if you need me urgently. Otherwise, I will come to look after you after each class."

"Thank you, sir," Harry replied tiredly.

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Until the evening, Harry's condition hadn't improved any further. As long as the strong headache potion worked, the pain was bearable, and Harry had been able to sleep for a few hours during the morning, but from the time onwards when the effects of the potions wore off, he was feeling absolutely horrible. Unfortunately, Severus could only give Harry the strong headache potion twice a day, knowing that it was too strong to be used more frequently.

In the evening, Severus gave Harry his potions and used Legilimency on him as usual, before he retreated to his private lab to do some research on a potion that would be able to help Harry in a more efficient way. However, thirty minutes into his research, when he had just started to brew a potion, his Dark Mark suddenly flared, causing him to grip his arm in pain.

'_Oh no! Why does that have to happen right now?_' he groaned, quickly banishing the potion. He hurried to the fireplace and called Minerva. "Minerva; he called me, and I have to leave immediately. Can you come here and look after Potter? And tell Albus please!" Only hardly waiting for her soft, "Of course, Severus," he hurried into his guest room. "Potter, are you awake? I'm being called by the Dark Lord. I have to leave, but Professor McGonagall will come and stay with you until I'll be back."

"Okay Professor, please be careful," he heard Harry advise him, before he quickly grabbed his Death Eater robes and dashed away.

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_I am not a native speaker of English. So please excuse my mistakes – or correct them._

_All recognizable characters belong to __Mrs. Rowling__, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Minerva just sat down on the edge of Harry's bed and began to speak with him in a soft voice, when he felt himself being pulled into a vision.

Harry found himself in a huge stone room, which he already knew from former visions. Sure enough, Voldemort stood in front of a handful of his followers. "Tell me, Severus," he suddenly turned to one of his Death Eaters, "How was the old fool's golden boy during the last two days?"

Severus stepped ahead, bowing deeply to the man, and replied, "Oh, he was very unwell, and everyone was at a loss to assess what the reason was. I believe that he is in a single room in the hospital wing, because they don't know what's wrong with him. As far as I know he is unconscious."

"Very well; then I want you to keep an eye on him; I need to know how long the spell will last until I have to renew it."

"As you wish, my Master," Severus replied calmly and slowly left the room when he was dismissed.

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'_Well, that was a harmless one_,' Harry thought when he felt himself being back to reality.

"Are you all right, Harry?" Minerva's concerned voice penetrated his ears.

"Yes," Harry replied, slowly opening his eyes. "It was a vision. He... he questioned Professor Snape about me, but it was harmless." He sighed in relief that it was over, already closing his eyes again. "Sorry Professor, thanks for staying with me," he mumbled, slurring the words.

"You're welcome," his head of house replied softly, re-adjusting the cool cloth on his forehead.

Two minutes later, Harry was just about to drift off to sleep, when a silky voice penetrated his ears, causing him to open his eyes once more. "Thank you, Minerva, for taking over."

"According to Mr. Potter it was harmless?" Minerva replied, giving her younger colleague an expecting look.

Severus turned to Harry, and he could see an expression of horror flash over the professor's face before it straightened out to his normal blank mask. "Did you have a vision?"

"I saw him question you about me," Harry replied evenly. "I thought I couldn't get any visions though because of what you did in my mind, sir?" He gave the teacher a questioning look.

"The blocking using Legilimency only helps you against external thoughts or curses but not against being pulled towards his mind," the teacher explained patiently. "Minerva, could you please stay a few minutes longer?" he asked, seeing that he was standing up. "I have to go and tell Albus about the meeting."

"Of course," Minerva replied gently and sat down on the edge of Harry's bed once more.

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During the next few days, Harry's condition only improved very slowly. Knowing that the Dark Lord was waiting for him to inform him when the boy's condition improved before he would attack again, Severus refrained from doing Legilimency on Harry, and so far, the Dark Lord seemed to rely on his lack of information and didn't attack anymore.

On the fifth day that Harry spent in Severus' quarters, his headache was getting bearable and he was able to sit upright without becoming so dizzy anymore.

"Can I get up, sir?" Harry asked when Severus came to check on him in the morning.

"It is '_May I_,' Mr. Potter, and yes, you may get up for breakfast if you feel up to it. Afterwards, you will return to bed, since you are still having quite a headache and a fever. However, I believe that you'll be going to be fine in a day or two," the teacher replied pensively. "The only problem is that the Dark Lord is going to attack you again sooner or later. If I don't contact him from my side, he will probably call me again on Saturday night and ask about your condition. I assume that I'll be able to tell him you were still unconscious once more; however, next week I will have to alert him to the fact that you're getting better; otherwise he would become suspicious."

"So he will attack me again next week?" Harry asked wearily, hesitantly averting his eyes to the teacher's face.

"I'm afraid so, Mr. Potter. If your condition continues to improve, we will start with our Occlumency lessons tonight or tomorrow, whenever you feel well enough. Moreover, I will try to ward your mind again before I leave for the meeting with the Dark Lord."

Harry's condition continued to improve, and on Friday morning before Severus' classes began, he started once more to teach the boy Occlumency.

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"You have to try to imagine a picture in your mind like for example fire, water, clouds, or whatever you like. For example, I have a picture of flowing water that I always put in front of my mind. When you have decided on a picture, you must try to think of the picture, not of anything else but your picture. It has to override all other thoughts. That is what I mean when I tell you to clear your mind. Do you understand me, Potter?"

"Wait, sir," Harry said confused. "That's it? I mean, is that all?"

Severus raised an eyebrow at Harry. "Well, have you decided on a picture?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure, sir. I could imagine either taking a scene of a Snitch that is flying through the air or a picture of a waterfall." He gave the teacher an uncertain look. "Maybe the Snitch is better," he added, quickly making up his mind.

Severus remained pensive for an instant before he slowly nodded. "I believe that would be very reasonable. Now try to imagine that picture. Do not think of anything else but that scene. If you're done, look at me, and I'll try to invade your mind. I promise that I'll be very careful, and I won't look for any bad memories."

"All right," Harry replied and tried to concentrate on his picture of the Snitch. '_The Snitch is flying under the blue sky_,' he imagined, '_and it's flapping his pretty, golden wings, which glow in the sunshine. It slowly continues its way through the air_.' After a few minutes, he was totally engrossed in following the Snitch, so that he only barely remembered that the teacher was waiting for his signal. He slowly averted his eyes to Severus, giving him a short nod.

Harry quickly began to once more concentrate on the golden Snitch. He wearily noticed that someone was trying to push his picture away from his mind. However, Harry tried hard to concentrate on the Snitch. '_I don't want to catch it, I just want to watch it; it's beautiful_.'

Two minutes later, he felt the image of his Snitch being pushed away as the other presence entered his mind. Fortunately, Severus pulled off immediately.

"Very good, Mr. Potter. That was an enormous improvement," Severus commended him.

"But you still managed to break it," Harry replied in a small voice, unconsciously rubbing his forehead against his headache."

Severus sighed. "Mr. Potter, I am an accomplished Legilimens; you have just managed Occlumency for the first time in your life. You didn't assume that you were able to keep me out on the first try, did you?"

"No, of course not, sir. I'm surprised that I succeeded at all," Harry told the man, a small smile playing on his lips. "Can we try once more?"

"No, we won't try now. You're still not completely well, and I want you to go back to bed, while I have to teach. If you're well enough in the afternoon, we will try again after classes."

"All right," Harry agreed and obediently retired to his room.

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In the afternoon, Severus and Harry once more sat together in Severus' living room practising Occlumency. This time, it took Severus more than three minutes to breach Harry's wards.

"A bit better than in the morning, Potter," Severus commended the boy. "Do you feel well enough to try once more?"

"All right," Harry agreed eagerly.

However, suddenly, the fireplace flared and announced that Lucius Malfoy wished to be let through. "Quickly, retire to your room, firmly close the door, and let's pretend that you're not here. This is extremely important!" Severus hissed at the child, causing Harry to flee into his room and scramble under his bed, lying down next to the wall.

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I am not a native speaker of English. So please excuse my mistakes – or correct them.

_All recognizable characters belong to __Mrs. Rowling__, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Severus waved his wand to put a Silencing charm on the guest room, which only worked in one direction, so that they wouldn't be able to hear any sound coming from the room, while Harry would be able to hear what happened in the living room, and answered the Floo. A minute later, Lucius Malfoy stepped into his living room.

"Lucius," Severus acknowledged the other man's presence. "To what do I owe the honour of your visit?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, I just returned from a meeting with the Dark Lord, and he was wondering why he still didn't receive any information from you."

"Concerning the old fool's golden boy you mean?" Severus enquired. "Well he is still unconscious, at least that's what I heard this morning."

"Can you take me to him tonight when that annoying medi-witch has retired to her quarters?"

Severus sighed. "Lucius, I'm sorry, but even I am not able to get through to the boy. We had to put strong wards around his room, all teachers together, so that they cannot be broken by anyone, not even by me. Only the headmaster, his deputy, and Pomfrey are able to access his room."

"I see," Malfoy replied thoughtfully. "There's nothing you can do about that. However, you should contact the Dark Lord and tell him about it before he gets impatient and calls you." With a small hint of a thread on his lips, the Death Eater turned back to the fireplace.

"Lucius!" Severus called after the man, causing him to turn around once more. "I have to attend a staff meeting in a few minutes; as soon as it is over, I will contact the Dark Lord. Can you wait so long?"

"Of course, my friend, of course," Lucius replied and stepped into the fireplace.

Severus hurried into Harry's room, unable to see the child anywhere. "Potter?" he called out, causing Harry to crawl out from under the bed. "I have to call the Dark Lord tonight," Severus informed him, his voice void of any emotion. "If you don't mind Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall speak with me over your head, you may join us in the living room," Severus continued and swiftly left the room, his robes that he was still wearing on that afternoon billowing behind him. Harry hesitantly followed the teacher into the living room and sat down in front of the fireplace.

Severus sat down on the sofa, summoned his Pensieve, and put the memory of Lucius' visit in, before he called Minerva and Albus to let them watch the scene. "I was afraid that he was getting impatient and expected to be summoned tomorrow night," he explained to his older colleagues. "However, if I don't contact him tonight, Lucius is going to tell him what he knows from me, which would result into harsh punishment. As you saw, I bought myself a few hours in order to ask both of you to remain with Mr. Potter and in order to strengthen his own Occlumency wards using my Legilimency just in case something happened during my meeting with the Dark Lord."

"Don't worry about Harry, my boy," Albus told him gently. "We will both stay with him until you're back safely. "However, you must worry about yourself and ensure that you come back unharmed."

"Severus, are you going to have dinner first?" Minerva enquired, reminding him that it was his turn to eat in the Great Hall, while she would stay with Harry. They had been taking turns during the whole week, so that it wouldn't become obvious that Severus was occupied otherwise.

"I should make an appearance in the Great Hall I suppose," Severus returned and followed Albus out of his quarters.

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"Now Harry, shall we retire to the kitchen and ask the house elves for dinner, too?" Minerva turned to Harry, who had been quietly listening from his spot in front of the fireplace.

He slowly averted his eyes to his head of house. "Yes, all right. Thanks, Professor, for staying with me."

"You're welcome, Harry," Minerva replied gently, pulling Harry with her to the kitchen.

"How are you getting along, Harry?" Minerva asked, while they were eating, giving Harry an enquiring look.

Harry sighed. "Well, considering that Professor Snape is taking so good care of me, I don't think that I'm entitled to complain. Let's say we both try to behave and not to anger the other, and so far, everything went well."

"I'm glad to hear that, Harry, and I hope it will remain like this."

"I'll try not to lose any house points from Gryffindor," Harry promised, smirking.

Minerva let out a snort. "That was not my primary concern. Now Harry, try to eat a bit more please."

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Severus came back with the headmaster in tow, when Minerva and Harry had just finished dinner. "Mr. Potter, you have to go back to bed or lie down on the sofa comfortably and try to pull up your Occlumency wards. Afterwards, I'm going to strengthen them as much as possible before I have to leave."

Not feeling completely recovered anyway, Harry preferred to go back to bed. He lay down and tried to concentrate on the Snitch. "Does it always have to be the same image?" he asked hesitantly when Severus followed him into the room. "For example," he pointed to the charmed window in his room that allowed him to oversee the Hogwarts grounds including the lake, "after seeing the storm outside, I have difficulties imagining the Snitch in front of a blue sky. Would it have the same effect if I chose to picture the Snitch between the dark clouds today?"

Severus sighed thoughtfully. "You have to try that out, Potter. However, I can imagine that it doesn't matter, provided that you'll be able to concentrate on the scene you're choosing. Moreover, you shouldn't use any other images; only change it according to the weather if you must. The main object, in your case the Snitch in front of the sky, has to remain the same at all times."

The professor placed two phials on the night table before he pointed his wand at Harry's head to take his temperature. "How bad is your headache, Potter? Do you need a headache potion?" he asked gently.

"No, it's manageable. Thank you, sir."

"All right. I'm going to leave a headache potion and a fever reducer here on the night table. Just tell Professor McGonagall, if you need one of them."

"Thanks Professor," Harry replied and tried to concentrate on the Snitch.

A few minutes later, Severus tried to enter his mind, which took him two minutes, and worked on steadying Harry's wards for a few minutes. "Listen Potter," he began as soon as he left Harry's mind. "Professor Dumbledore is an accomplished Legilimens too. He'll be able to help you while I'm away; you just have to tell him if the need arises. I'll be gone then."

As soon as Severus left for his meeting with Voldemort, Minerva and Albus entered Harry's room and quietly began to talk to him.

"Professor," Harry addressed Minerva, who sat down on the edge of his bed, while Albus pulled a chair over to his side. "I'm worried about my classes. I already missed a whole week of class. Could you perhaps ask Hermione or someone to bring me my homework?"

Minerva sighed. "Professor Snape told us that your condition is not well enough to do any school work apart from your Occlumency lessons, which seem to be more important at the moment. Moreover, the winter holidays are going to start in a week, and during the holidays you will have enough time to make up for the work you missed, provided that you feel better then. Don't worry about that now. We will all help you to catch up."

Harry lay back, sighing in relief. "Thank you, Professor."

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Harry was soon pulled into a vision, in which he was forced to listen to a conversation between Severus and Voldemort.

"Severus, I expected you to report to me much earlier," Voldemort hissed at the man, who bowed deeply in front of him.

"I'm sorry, my lord; there aren't any news yet." Severus proceeded to tell the same story, which he had made Lucius Malfoy believe a few hours ago.

"Oh, I hadn't expected my curse to be so strong," Voldemort said surprised. "This is indeed good news, Severus. However, I expect him to wake up any minute now. As soon as you get to know that his condition is improving, you will inform me of the situation, so that I can act accordingly. He may not have time to recover in between my attacks. Do you understand me?" He raised his wand, throwing a dark curse at his follower in order to underline his request.

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_I am not a native speaker of English. So please excuse my mistakes – or correct them._

_All recognizable characters belong to __Mrs. Rowling__, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Yes, I understand, my lord," Severus replied evenly as soon as the curse was lifted, trying to suppress the pain that would remain until he managed to brew the antidote later on.

At the same time, Harry turned and tossed in his bed at the pain he was experiencing, glad when Severus left the room and he was thrown out of Voldemort's head.

"Harry, are you all right? What happened?" he heard Minerva ask in concern and miserably tried to give her a weary smile.

"He threw a curse at Professor Snape, and, well, it hurts. It... I don't know... It feels similar to the Cruciatus curse, but somehow different. Professor Snape will be in a lot of pain."

"Is Professor Snape on his way back home?" Albus enquired, and when Harry confirmed that he had watched him leave the place, he called Fawkes. "Fawkes, I need you to flash out to the gates and bring Severus here. Be careful, please; he is hurt."

Harry watched amazed as the phoenix flashed away only to reappear an instant later together with Severus, who quickly banished his Death Eater clothing and sat down on a chair. "Thanks for sending Fawkes, Albus; that was indeed fortunate. The Dark Lord believes that Potter has to wake up any minute now, because his curse couldn't be so strong, and he expects me to alarm him immediately. Please excuse me now; I have a potion to brew."

"Harry warned us that you would be in a lot of pain, since he experienced the pain as well," Minerva explained softly, causing Severus to turn to Harry, an expression of horror flashing over his face.

"You felt the pain when he threw the curse at me?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes sir. I always feel the pain, if he curses someone," Harry gave back in a small voice.

"I'm afraid that the normal pain relieving potion won't work in this case. I have to brew something that'll help." He turned to the door, limping slightly at the pain that cruised through his body.

"Wait, professor!" Harry suddenly blurted out. "Please, may I help you? I could prepare ingredients or do something that might help you."

"Severus," the headmaster spoke up. "If Harry is so kind to offer his help in spite of the pain he is in, you should accept and let him help. Neither Minerva nor I can help when it comes to potions, but Harry will surely be able to do something for you."

Severus threw Harry an assessing glance. "Well, if you're sure, Potter," he finally said. '_I don't know what such a dunderhead at potions would be able to help, but, well, any chance to finish that potion earlier is welcome_.'

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Severus motioned Harry to sit down at a table, while he fetched the ingredients they needed. "Do you know exactly how to prepare these ingredients, Potter?"

Harry threw the professor an uncertain glance. "I'm sure about the frog eggs, but I don't know exactly how to prepare the wormwood and birch bark. Maybe it would be better if you could show me once again, please, sir?"

Severus took a seat next to Harry and showed the boy how to prepare each single ingredient, causing Harry to be surprised at the patience the professor showed. While Harry continued his work, the teacher started to brew the potion, equally astonished how adept Harry seemed to be at preparing the ingredients. An hour later, the potion was finished, and Severus quickly filled an adequate amount into two small goblets, one of which he held out for Harry, gulping down the other greedily. Just like Severus, Harry sighed in relief as he felt the potion take effect.

"All right, Mr. Potter; let's go and get some sleep," Severus told Harry, who happily agreed. "We will consider how to proceed in the morning.

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On Saturday morning, Severus and Albus decided that Severus should return to the Dark Lord and tell him that Harry was waking up. In the afternoon, Minerva, Albus, and Poppy gathered around Harry, who was told to put his wards up, before Severus once more helped Harry strengthen his wards using Legilimency.

Only a few minutes after Severus left, Harry was pulled into a vision.

"Ah, Severus, I hope you came with good news," Voldemort greeted the dark figure in front of him.

"Yes, my Lord," Severus replied, bowing deeply. "As far as I heard, the old fool's golden boy is back to consciousness; however, he is still in a lot of pain, and they have not yet discovered what is wrong with him."

"He is conscious? That means that I can have some fun with him," the Dark Lord replied, and Harry felt that he was very happy at the thought to be able to harm him again.

An instant later, Harry felt that something tried to penetrate his wards. The feeling lasted for a few seconds and stopped, before he once more sensed a push against his wards. '_I have to think of the Snitch; there it is; who's going to catch it?_' Harry tried to concentrate on his favourite golden ball, while he felt a third attack on his mind.

"Has the boy learned Occlumency?" the Dark Lord hissed angrily. "I cannot breach the wards around his mind."

"No, my Lord; Potter is an absolute incompetent dunderhead when it comes to Occlumency," Severus replied swiftly. "Perhaps the headmaster is with him, trying to help him occlude his mind. The old fool is an accomplished Legilimens."

"Ah, well, I shall try again later. Even the old fool will be going to sleep at some time," Voldemort countered contentedly, dismissing Severus with a wave of his hand.

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"He tried to attack my mind but didn't succeed," Harry told the three adults and sighed in relief, when he let himself sink back on his bed exhaustedly.

"Well, Harry, that's indeed good news," the headmaster replied thoughtfully, just when Severus entered the room.

"He will try again though. He believed me when I suggested that you were probably there, helping Potter. I can imagine that he'll try again during the night when he assumes you to be asleep, Albus."

Harry looked anxiously from the professor to the headmaster and back again, while the adults remained quiet in their musings. Finally, Albus spoke up. "Well, I believe that it would be the best if Harry didn't return to his dormitory but stayed here in Severus' guest room. We can put a spell on Harry, which alerts Severus in case he is attacked, so that he'll be able to help him in the fast possible way."

Harry threw the professor an anxious glance; however, he couldn't make out any reaction in the Potion Master's blank face. Finally, the professor replied, "Very well. That way, Potter and I can use the evenings for more Occlumency lessons, until he is able to occlude his mind perfectly without my help. Moreover, we can try to attack the Dark Lord from our side. If I can manage to teach Potter in Legilimency as well and we send an adequate spell over the connection, we might be able to breach his wards and at least weaken the Dark Lord immensely."

"That's a good idea," the headmaster replied and averted his look to Harry. "Are you all right with this, my boy?" he asked gently, his eyes twinkling merrily.

"Yes sir," Harry answered automatically and turned to Severus. "Thanks for your help, Professor. I really appreciate it. I've never been in such a pain before."

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During the next few months, Voldemort tried to attack Harry several times. However, he only succeeded one night, when Harry had been extremely tired in the evening and forgot to occlude his mind before he went to bed. Moreover, Severus had been in a staff meeting and returned only when Harry was already fast asleep. After suffering the same horrible headache for another week, Harry never, ever forgot again to occlude his mind, and Severus also took the time to come into Harry's room every night around curfew and reminded him to take all necessary precautions.

Harry and Severus became slowly used to each other's company, and Severus, who had noticed that Harry seemed to be quite adept at Potions when he helped him to brew the cure against Voldemort's spell, even helped Harry to become more proficient at brewing Potions.

When Harry returned to Severus' quarters one evening near the end of the school year, Severus was sitting in the living room, waiting for him. "Mr. Potter, sit down, please; I have something to discuss with you," he told the boy, who complied immediately. "I believe that your Occlumency skills are adequate enough for you to occlude your mind without my help. Moreover, the house of your relatives is safe against attacks from the Dark Lord. Therefore, I believe that it will be safe enough for you to return to your relatives as the headmaster wishes."

"Yes sir," Harry replied in a hardly audible voice and quickly averted his eyes to the floor, while he tried to fight the tears that were beginning to well in his eyes at the thought of returning to the Dursleys over the summer.

"However," Severus, who had of course noticed Harry's reaction, continued, "frankly speaking I believe it would be wise if you remained here over the summer, so that I could try to teach you Legilimency."

Harry quickly looked back at the teacher, a hopeful expression on his face. "Would that be possible, sir? The headmaster..."

"I know that the headmaster wants you to go back there, but he told me that he would be willing to agree, provided that you wanted to remain with me. His only condition is that I'd have to become your guardian."

"I'd like that, Professor," Harry replied in obvious delight, "if you don't mind having me here all the time."

"If I didn't want to have you here, I wouldn't have offered," Severus replied simply. "Very well, let's go to the headmaster and tell him about our decision."

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During the summer holidays, Severus and Harry engrossed themselves in their Legilimency practise every day, and in the morning of Harry's seventeenth birthday, Severus and Albus entered Harry's mind and together with the boy managed to send a dark curse over the connection to Voldemort that killed the man within seconds.

"Did we succeed?" Harry asked wearily as he leaned back on the sofa, where he was sitting opposite the two teachers, feeling utterly exhausted.

Severus rolled the sleeve over his left arm up and pointed to the Dark Mark that slowly faded into non-existence. "Yes, we obviously managed to kill the Dark Lord," he stated, a very satisfied expression on his face.

"Thank God," the headmaster agreed tiredly, looking over to Harry with merrily twinkling eyes.

"Is he really gone?" Minerva and Poppy, who had been sitting further away as not to disturb the three men, enquired.

"Yes," Severus replied firmly, while Harry wearily put a hand to his scar that had been hurting immensely during their attack on Voldemort.

Poppy waved her wand at the boy. "Does your scar still hurt?"

"It's already getting better," Harry replied, gratefully gulping down the headache potion the Medi-witch held out for him.

"All right then, I believe a Birthday Party in combination with a Voldemort Demise Party is in order, and Harry's friends as well as our colleagues are waiting for us in the Great Hall," the headmaster announced.

"I don't know about you, Albus, but I believe Mr. Potter needs a rest before that," Severus replied sternly, earning a grateful glance from Harry.

"Exactly," Minerva agreed. "Everyone will understand this and his friends will be able to occupy themselves for a while without the birthday boy. Albus, Poppy, let's go and spread the good news."

"Professor," Harry spoke up in a small voice, "would it be possible for me to remain here until the end of the holidays? I know you took me in only to teach me Legilimency, but..."

"Mr. Potter, even if you're of age and don't need a guardian anymore, you may remain here as long as you wish, provided that you still obey as if I still was your guardian."

"Thanks a lot, Professor," Harry replied and closed his eyes, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

**The End**

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_I am not a native speaker of English. So please excuse my mistakes – or tell me, so that I can correct them!_

_All recognizable characters belong to __Mrs. Rowling__, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._


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